Ramp-rail shoe for train control



Jan. 20. 1925. 1,523,726

c. F. sHADLE RAMP BAEL SHOE Foa TRAIN CONTROL Filed Jan. 50, 1923- 2Sheets-Sheet l Tlq. l

ATTORNEYS.

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mHnwl CBO Patented dan. 2Q, 1925.

CLINTON n. SHADLE, or runter-inscris,

11E SA'liES www TENDIANA., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO INDIANAEQUIPMENT CORPORATION, OF INDANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A

CORPORATON OF INDIANA,

RAMP-RAIL SHOE FOR TRAIN CONTROL.

Application filed January 30, 1923.

Be it known that CLINTON F. SHADLu, a citizen ot the United States, anda resident ot Indianapolis, county ot Marion, and State of Indiana, haveinvented a certain new and useful Ramp-Rail Shoe for Train Control; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereoi, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which like numerals refer to like parts.

This invention relates to an automatic train control system, andparticularly to one of the elements thereof, to wit, a switchconstruction and the means for actuating the same.

The chief object of the invention is to improve the present switch andactuating shoe therefor, whereby contact will be positively insuredbetween a rail and the shoe, which rail may be of the type associatedwith the local circuit of a block signal system.

The chief 'Feature of the invention consists in the particularconstruction and arrangement ot the parts of the shoe and ot the switchassociated therewith and actuated thereby.

The `full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a truck with theshoe and switch positioned thereon. Fig. 2 is a top plan view ot theswitch and actuating means therefor with the cover removed. Fig. 3 is abottom plan view ot the shoe construction and support. Fig. 4 is atransverse sectional view of a railway track showing the ramp railassociated therewith and the shoe construction positioned on the rail.Fig. 5 is a Y r'ront view ot the switch-insulated Contact support. Fig.6 is an enlarged side elevational view of the shoe construction with thecover and other parts broken away and sectioned to show still otherparts in detail at the instant of engagement with the ramp rail. Fig. 7is an end elevation of the shoe and switch end with a portion of theshoe in section. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the shoe construction.

1n the drawings, see Figs. 1 and 4, there is illustrated a truck frame10 having the Serial No. 615,819.

truck wheels 11 which ride upon the usual track rails 12 ot' a railwayroadbed. Positioned adjacent and parallel to the rails 12 is a ramp railsupport 13 which supports a ramp rail 14 having an inclined approach,and herein illustrated in the form of an angle iron. Associated with theramp rail and contacting the same is a shoe construction 15, and saidshoe construction 15 is suitably supported upon the shoe supporting base16, which is angular in cross section, and has a face 17 suitablysecured to the truck frame 10 by bolts 117 or any desired means andinsulated therefrom by means ot the insulated bushings 18, see Fig. 7.

Positioned above the supporting plate or base 16 and hingedly supportedthereby is a cover 19 which carries a staple 20 and a U-shaped orslotted bracket 21. The base 16 hingedly supports a link 22 having athreaded connection with an adjusting nut 23. The adjusting nutpivotally supports ahasp 24. From the foregoing it will be understoodthat the hingedly supported cover may be locked in closed position bymeans of the liasp and staple and may be drawn down tight to form awater-tight connection between said cover and the base, by means ot theperipheral groove 25 and the gasket or sealing peripheral member 26.l/Vithin said cover and supported by said base is a` switchconstruction, herein to be described in detail and the actuating meansfor said switch which is associated with a shoe construction. The shoeconstruction is shown clearly in Figs. 3, 6, 7 and 8. rlhe base 16 iscentrally apertured at 27, and surrounding said aperture upon the underside of said base 16 is a boss 28. Slidably supported in said apertureis a plunger' 29, and said plunger terminates in a slot which extendstransversely thereof. An elongated box frame 31 on each end is providedwith a projection 131 having an elliptical or elongated opening 32through which the bolt 130 extends. The bolt 13() is received by theslot 30 and is pivotgrlly secured therein by the pin 132. Between theprojections 131 and the post 29 are coiled springs 133. The box frame 31is provided with two pairs of ears 33, and pins 34 eX- tend through saidears and. secure to the box trame a cover 35 having a central recess 36.In each end Iof the elongated box frame 31, there is supported a pin 41,and each pin tofole been.experienced in securing an excellentcontactbetweenthe ramp rail Yand the shoe. llien lee forms upon therainprails, the vusual shoes succeed in cutting .through the ice to insurefrelatively good contact, butithe shoes which .alv'eutilized at thepresenttime cannot penertate .frost and secure good Contact. The presentconstruction insuresgood Contact through .the edges ofthe.nailzand-actthroughthe topof the rail, exceptfronr the other-roller.Reference will now behadto Figs. 3 and 6. 1n said' iguresthere isillustrated a plate .44 havingacleaning surface 115 complementarilyformed, and said .plateis positioned intermediate.the 'two rollers andis suitably seourdto the box casingso as to simultaneously clean'loothrollers. .1t ywill be reinemberedthatthe box lframe is pivotallysupported by .thepos't 29, vandthat tbe-post is :slidably.supported .inthe base 16. lleren see particularly Fig. `8, each end or' .the vbox:traine carries .inwardly extending angular links 4.6, and the pair ot'links .is sel.eured to a rodeonstruction -l which .passesthroughvthebase 16 and iks-concentric with a boiled spring .suitablyvand.adjust-ably scoured -tilfiereon by .means ot .theseveral nuts.4g-9. Thus .the downward.movement of ,the box frame'and post or.plunger is not only 'cushioned but limited as well. l

.plliebox frame, ,see particularly Figs. '3, .'6 -and '8, is .provided.with .forwardly projecting tongues 50 .to V:torni .a groove 51 at .each:end thereof. v1n each groove 5,1.tormed by .the projecting .tongue .50,there is positioneela` T-shaped guide 52 suitablysecured toand.depending from the Vbase .16. .From .the foregoingf it wi-lglfbeunderstood that roelingamoveinent ofthe-trame isguided by the .guides52svhich also prevent vany excessive ainoveinent transversely of therocking move- ;inent. i'

.y "Theextgerior lowerportion of the plunger isEut-awayto :torni a pairof oppositely positioned shoulders 53;, which shoulders are eurvedforarcuate and ,bear upon a hardened plate 5.4,; sa1d`plate being supportedupon an equal-izing spring 5,5,` which spring extenes v ,substantiallythe Yfull length .of the box frame andis positioned between the coverand the-pins 34 securing 'the cover to the box frame.`

As shown clearly {tbe :plunger 29 is hol- 'lowed and forms aspring-receiving member `and, therefore, the shoe frame in the lowermostposition, s aid position, however, being ,limited vby lthe chain`construction hereinbeforev described.

Reference will nowbe had to Figs. 2, 6

yand 7, and in said ligures it is noted that` 4a support 58 is suitablysecured to the upper side of the-base 16, as shown, and said support isapertured at 59 so that the aperture therein registerswith Vthe apertureQ7 in the base 16 an'dprovides a support forthe plun- Extending upwardly`and upon opger 2S). y 'posits sides of the plunger, andpregterably atright angles tothe arcuatebearing faces 58 are the guides and supports GO'which also extend inwardly towards .each other at61 to partiallysurround the plunger', and thusr serve to guide the upper end of theplunger. Said upper extensions also support thepins A62 which lsecure. atransversely extending membert, and said member 63 .is seatable in thehollowtportion 56 of the plunger, and the Awall of said plunger isoppositely slotted, as at 64,`to slidably receive said transversely4extending membery 63. Ext-reine upward movement of tfheish'oe andvplunger thus may be limited bythe 'engagement of the base of the slotGstfwith the transverse member '63.

Said transverse member 63 upon the portion that is positioned within thehollowl oli the lplunger,carries a spring retainer portion 65, showninf-)St Clearly by the dotted 'lines 1n Fig. 6, and this spring retainernot only retains the spring withinthe plunger, but also .enables saidspring to normally force the shoe into'engagement with the ramp rail 14.

:The'plunger extends upwardly between the vguides 61 and straddles thetransverse I nernber. 1n the upper end, a pin 66 extends transverselyot` the .plunger and .substantially parallel to the`pin132. The pin 66Iextends through'the plunger, and asY shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 7, thevree'end 'thereofterininates in a ball membenGT receivableby a socket 68carried -by a supportingl member 69. f

lThe supporting member 69 is provided' with atongue and grooveconnection at opposite ends, as at 70, with the upstanding arms 71 of abracket construction; The slidable memberl 69 carries an insulated block72, and saidY insulated block 72 'carries a double andinverted'U-shaped` contact 73 which eonsists of `three parallelconducting strips, the linteri'nediate parallel conducting strip beinglonger than either of :the .two

other strips, and connected to said strips at opposite ends, leaving thefree end of each outside strip terminating short of the central strip.The length ot' said outside strips is such that there is an intermediateoverlapping or median position, wherein contact may be madesimultaneously with the three strip portions. The upstanding arms 7l otthe bracket construction carry a horizontal support 74. and said support74 is provided with three insulated bushings 75 which slidably support ametallic contact or brush 7G, said brush being adapted to engage thealigned contact strip 73. A spring contact finger 77 is suitably securedby the terminal means 78 to the base 16 and is insulated therefrom. Saidcontact tinger 77 is apertured to slidably receive a bolt 79 carried bythe trans verse support 74 and insulated therefrom. A spring 80 isinterposed between said sup port, and said spring contact 77 and thenuts 81 limit the outward movement of the contact spring linger 77. Thedetails ot the switch construction may be modified as desired withoutdeparting from the broader features of the invention.

From Fig. 6 it will be noted that the rear roller 42 is slightly largerthan the 'front roller, but said rollers have their centers in the samehorizontal plane. The equivalent construction would be to have bothrollers ot' equal size and have the rear roller center positionedslightly below the plane including the lront roller center. l/Vitheither of the aforesaid constructions, the rear roller is the tirst toengage the ramp rail 14. and thus tip forwardly the trame until theYtront roller engages the rail. rIhe force ot the engagement of theroller with the rail is absorbed b v the equalizing spring 55. Thenormal rail engaging` position of the trame or shoe is tilted forwardlyvery slightly.

The invention claimed is:

l. A rail shoe construction including a supporting frame, and aplurality of peripherally corrugated rollers arranged tandem andsupported thereby and adapted to contact with a rail, the corrugationsot each roller being staggered with respect to the corrugations of theadjacent roller.

2. A rail shoe construction including asupporting frame, a rollersupported thereby and adapted to contact with a rail, and a roll cleanerot' a width at least equal to the roller and supported by the frameadjacent the roller.

3. A rail shoe construction including a supporting frame, a pair ofrollers supported in tandem thereby, and adapted to Contact with a rail.and a roll cleaner supported by the frame intermediate the rollers forsimul taneously cleaning both.

4. A rail shoe construction including a supporting trame, a pair ofperipherally corrugated rollers supported thereby in tandem and adaptedto Contact with a rail, and a cleaner complementarily :termed andpositioned intermediate said rollers for cleaning both.

A rail shoe construction including a supporting` frame, a pair ofperipherally corrugated rollers supported in tandem thereby and adaptedto contact with a rail,

and a cleaner complementarily formed andv positioned intermediate saidrollers for cleaning both, the corrugations ot each roller beingstaggered with respect to the corrugations of the adjacent roller.

G. A rail shoe construction including` a supporting trame, aperipherally corrugated roller suported thereby and adapted to contactwith a rail, and a complementarily termed cleaner supported by the trameadjacent the roller.

7. ln a rail shoe support, the combination ot a hase, a slotted plungerslidably supported thereby, and guide means supported by said baseand-associated with said slotted plunger.

8. ln a rail shoe support, the combination ot a base, aI hollow plungerslidably supported thereby, a spring in said hollow plunger, and aspring retainer associated with said plunger and supported by the base.

S). ln a rail shoe support, the combination ot a base, a slotted plungerslidably supported thereby, guide means supported by said base andassociated with said slotted plunger, and a stop 'tor engaging saidguide means to limit the travel ot said plunger.

l0. ln a rail shoe support, the combina tion of a base, a hollow plungerslidablyY supported thereby, a spring in said hollow plunger, a springretainer associated with said plunger andsupported by the base, and a.stop tor engaging said spring retainer to limit the travel ot saidplunger.

l1. ln a rail shoe support, the combination ot a hase` a hollow andslotted plunger slidably supported thereby, a spring in said plunger.and means supported by said base and associated with said hollow andslotted plunger `t'or guidingl th(` same and retaining the spring.

l2. ln a rail shoe support` the combination o't a base, a hollow andslotted plunger slidably supported thereby, a spring in said plunger,means supported by said base and associated with said hollow and slottedplunger tor guiding the same and retaining the spring, and a stopcarried by said plun? ger for engaging said means to limit the travel otsaid plunger.

13. In a rail shoe construction. a shoe support, a post pivotally andslidably supporting the same, yielding means tor maintaining the post inone limiting' position, and other yielding means tor maintaining thepost in the opposite position. Y

lLA rail shoe construction comprising a support, a Shoe frame tltablysupported thereby, a plurality of rollers Supported in tandem by saidframe upon axes parallel to the frame pvot for successive engagementwith a rail, and yielding means forv absorbing the Shock said engagementdirected parallel to the tandem positioning.

l5. rail shoe construction comprising a support, a shoe frame tiltablysupported thereby2 a plurality of rollers supported tandeln said frame,Ythe rear roller projecting lower. than the forward roller, wherebySadvr'ear roller will rst engage the. rail, and tilt the 'frame andthereby ermee said forward roller to engage the sa-Ine. Y

16.V rail shoeconstruction comprising a snpport, a shoe frametiltablysupported thereby,ya pluraltyof rollers supported in tandem bysaid frame, the rear roller projectng lower than the forward roller,whereby said rea-r roller will first engage the rail and ltilt theVVframe and thereby tion having' a plurality of rollers arrallgedV intandem and lpositioned so that the rear roller Wlll engagey the. lnclmedportlon of the rail prior to engagement 4by the VJforward roller.

In Witness affixed my s1gnatnreomNToN F'. SHADLE.

whereof, I have `hereunto

